The King of Seven Days: Johannes Wardenier

Friesland in the nineteen-thirties. In these economically difficult times, the province yearns for more work and greater prosperity. It is hardly surprising, then, that these level-headed Frisians fall under the spell of the man who promises employment for 13,000 people with his invention of a fuel-free engine. They cast a sideways glance at Eindhoven, where Philips is making its mark with light bulbs. And perhaps they are already quietly looking across the ocean, where Roosevelt was attempting to boost the economy with the New Deal.

Against that backdrop, the young Johannes Wardenier unveils his plans in 1934 for a large-scale factory in Wolvega to produce a ‘fuel-free engine’. What follows is a chaotic week in an otherwise tranquil Frisian countryside. The national and even foreign press fall over one another to catch a glimpse of this revolutionary development and its inventor. The week begins euphorically and full of anticipation. But as the days pass and Wardenier refuses to provide any details about the precise workings of the engine, suspicion grows. There are said to be patents, confidentiality obligations, agreements — yet above all, a great deal remains unclear. Technical experts and scientists dismiss Wardenier’s engine as yet another ‘perpetuum mobile’ and demonstrate that his claims cannot satisfy the fundamental laws of thermodynamics.

‘Wardenier provokes a feeling of sympathy’

Castles in the air

After a week, the King of Seven Days falls from his throne; there is no engine. Reading the book, this moment feels like a disillusionment. Despite it being clear from the outset that the engine does not exist and never will, you find yourself willing the man to succeed. Wardenier provokes a feeling of sympathy. A young man, with good intentions and perhaps a somewhat too simplistic understanding of what is technically possible. You hope that someone will take him aside with a fatherly word and help him see that he is believing in castles in the air. And that together they might yet develop something worthwhile. It could have been a lovely Christmas story. But reality is otherwise.

In the years that follow, interest in the inventor and his invention wanes. The media give the fuel-free engine the occasional mention — for instance, when yet another ‘fantastic discovery’ is made. In interviews, Wardenier continues to insist that the engine genuinely exists, repeatedly promising to demonstrate it before long. He even comes across as somewhat irritated when people criticise him. He also points the finger at Philips — who, in his view, based the design for the Stirling engine on his ideas. This theory is, incidentally, refuted in the book.

‘The research portrays Wardenier as a great fantasist, a pathological liar, and an opportunist’

A telling motto

The King of Seven Days also touches on the power of the oil industry during that period. It briefly illuminates how companies effortlessly revived the colonial era and appropriated natural resources the world over. And how the oil industry ensured that the petrol engine became mainstream, even as a large proportion of cars in the nineteen-twenties ran on electricity.

The book does not confine itself to Wardenier’s invention. The King of Seven Days also covers the rest of his life. Author Paul Schilperoord, together with researcher René de Rooij, delved into a large number of archives and spoke with relatives of the principal figures. The research by Schilperoord and De Rooij portrays Wardenier as a great fantasist, a pathological liar, and an opportunist. His role during the Second World War and its aftermath is, to say the least, questionable. With nearly 700 sources as its foundation, one can say that this book paints a clear picture of Wardenier. The book’s motto — Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur (The world wants to be deceived, so let it be deceived) — is telling.

Supporters

This is not, incidentally, the first book about Wardenier. Journalist Henk Ymker previously wrote Het Mysterie Wardenier (1984, updated in 2019). Despite all of it having taken place many years ago, the matter continues to stir strong feelings. Fervent supporters of Wardenier seek recognition for the inventor and dispute the picture that The King of Seven Days presents. Either way, it is a fascinating piece of history that will be talked about for years to come — even long after cars have ceased to run on petrol.